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LEARNING UNIT 2
THE SOUTH AFRICAN
STRATIGRAPHY
BY: PH BHENGU (e-tutor)

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 OVERVIEW
11 slides

 PURPOSE OF LEARNING UNIT 2

 STRATIGRAPHY
 SOUTH AFRICAN GENERAL GEOLOGY
 GEOLOGICAL TIMESCALE OF EARTH
 SOUTH AFRICAN SUPERGROUPS
 DISTINCTIVE ROCKS FOUND IN SOUTH AFRICA
 SURFACE GEOLOGY

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 PURPOSE OF LU # 2
 Stratigraphy, scientific discipline concerned
with the description of rock successions and
their interpretation in terms of a general time
scale.
 It provides a basis for historical geology, and its
principles and methods have found application in such
fields as construction, petroleum geology etc.

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 STRATIGRAPHY

 Stratigraphy is a branch
of geology concerned
with the study of rock
layers (strata) and
layering (stratification).

 It is primarily used in
the study of
sedimentary and
layered volcanic rocks.
 Study of the Earth.

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 SOUTH AFRICAN GENERAL
GEOLOGY

 Geology of SA varies
and includes

 Cratons
 Greenstone belts
 Craters
 Orogenic belts
 Minerals composition
in South Africa

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 GEOLOGICAL TIMESCALE

 Geological
timescales
 Swazian erathem
 Randian erathem
 Vaalian erathem
 Mokolian
erathem
 Namibian
erathem

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SOUTH AFRICAN SUPERGROUPS

o Barberton Supergroup
o Witwatersrand and
Pongola Supergroups
o Ventersdorp Supergroup
o Transvaal Supergroup
o Olifantshoek Supergroup
o Gariep Supergroup
o Cape Supergroup
o Karoo Supergroup

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DISTINCTIVE ROCKS FOUND IN
SOUTH AFRICA
 Dominion Group
 Witwatersrand
Supergroup
 Central Rand Group
 Transvaal Supergroup
 Malmani Dolomites
 Bushveld Igneous
Complex
 Vredefort Bolide
 Other minerals found in
South Africa

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 SURFACE GEOLOGY

Earth surface geology’ considers the particular conditions

created by the water cycle governing the distinctive surface
geology of Earth

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RECAP
&
END

Thank you

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